Niagara Falls is in New York state, in the United States of America.

Get around

Driving is definitely the best option to get around. There is a bus line that covers the region (NFTA), but it is nothing special. There is no subway.

If you are staying downtown, the casino is in walking distance to the Falls and the bridge to Canada. You can really do a lot without a car once you get to the immediate vicinity of the Falls. The toll for walking the bridge to Canada is $.50, paid on the Canadian side coming into the US. It can be paid in American or Canadian quarters.

Activities

 • Gambling now on both sides of the border. The Canadian side has two casinos (with a shuttle between them): Casino Niagara and the Fallsview casino. You can walk from the American Seneca-Niagara Casino over the bridge to Casino Niagara (and then catch the shuttle to the other).
 • Clifton Hill is a short walk across the bridge into Canada. Drinking age is 19. There are bars and many other tourist traps.

Dining

 • Rocket's on 1915 Pine Ave has the best pizza in the city. It also carries a brand of pizza called Trusillo style, which is very popular with residents. They have other items on their menu and everything is delicious and fresh.
 • Judi's is over by the Factory Outlets (across the road) and is a greasy little bar that has a great wing special on Sunday nights (I think it's .10 or .15 cents a wing). But, being that you are so close, you should head to Buffalo for Duff's or Anchor Bar ("birthplace" of the chicken wing).
 • Fortuna's at 827 19th Street has the best Italian food in the city. Main courses include handmade gnocchi, ravioli, steaks, veal, poultry, and fresh seafood. They use the freshest ingredients and even their salad dressings are all made there and there is a substantial wine list.

Drink

A major attraction of the area is the proximity to Canada. Some Niagara University students have spent many a drunken night in Canada between the ages of 19 and 21. Wild Mushroom is a pretty cool place (just off the top of Clifton Hill), but they are mildly expensive. Used to be a major Niagara University hangout--unknown if it is anymore.

Lodging

There are not really any major luxury hotels in the area, but a nice hotel is being built at Seneca Niagara Casino. There are several other nice looking hotels downtown by the Falls, and then a series of motels on Niagara Falls Boulevard, including several $20/night fleabag specials (where they really always charge you more than that anyway).
 • Downtown the best hotels are The Sheraton 4 Point, The Holiday Inn Express and The Red Coach Inn. The Red Coach Inn is tucked away on Buffalo Avenue and is a luxury Inn with an excellent restaurant.
 • There is a Victorian B&B (Manchester House) on Main Street a few blocks from the Falls at 653 Main Street. Lewiston also has a nice looking B&B, but this is a little drive from everything (very cute little town however). Niagara-on-the-Lake is always worth the drive (Canadian).

Get out

If you have your passport on hand, cross over and see the falls from the Canadian side. There are numerous other waterfalls in western New York (all much smaller), notably the 3 falls of the Genesee River within Letchworth State Park.

Links

Niagara Wine Trail